About 2020 MRC Operational Readiness Awards (ORA)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is pleased to announce the 2020 Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Operational Readiness Awards (ORA) which provide funding opportunities for MRC units. Funding for this opportunity is available through a cooperative agreement between NACCHO and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) (grant # 6 HITEP150032-02-13). Any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements, including 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200, directly apply to this sub-award. Specific information on allowable costs can be found in 2 CFR Chapter I, Chapter II, Part 200 including Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.
Funding Intent
The 2020 MRC ORAs aim to build the operational readiness capabilities of MRC volunteers and units to meet the emergency preparedness and response needs of their local, regional, or statewide stakeholders. The awards are intended to be flexible to meet the needs of all MRC units, support efforts to build MRC capabilities, strengthen stakeholder awareness of MRC capabilities, and identify or sustain integration of the MRC into local, state, and/or regional emergency response plans.
The MRC ORA is a competitive award open to MRC units that meet the eligibility requirements as outlined on the MRC website, as well as those listed in this Request for Applications (RFA) document under Section III: Eligibility Requirements.
MRC units may apply to one of the following funding opportunities:
- Tier 1 Awards: $2,500 – Strengthen MRC Volunteer Capabilities
- Tier 2 Awards: $7,500 – Strengthen MRC Unit Response Capabilities
Project expectations
Applicants are expected to address the following goals or activities as part of their award:
- Activities should align with at least one of the MRC and ASPR priorities:
- Medical screening and care in emergencies;
- POD’s, mass vaccinations, and other mass dispensing efforts;
- Deployment of volunteers outside of local jurisdiction, and
- Training community members to respond.
- Applicants are encouraged to use the MRC Factors for Success to identify areas to further develop their volunteer and unit capabilities.
- Project plans should identify the current state of their MRC unit’s volunteer capabilities and realistic goals for the future state of volunteer capabilities.
- Project goals should focus on building or sustaining volunteer or unit capabilities depending on the current operational status of the unit: new unit, established unit, or unit that is rebuilding.
- Projects should focus on unit requirements and missions, while incorporating appropriate tools from the MRC Deployment Readiness Resource Guide to support building common MRC standards.
- Units will be required to submit a brief project update at approximately the six-month mark and a final project evaluation at approximately 12 months after award of funding is announced.
- Provide examples of MRC resources to be shared with the network to support peer-to-peer learning.
Applicants should refer to the 2020 MRC Operational Readiness Awards Request for Application for detailed information on the funding levels and the application process.
Eligibility
Minimum eligibility requirements for the MRC ORAs include the following:
- MRC units must have an account at NACCHO’s Awards website (http://application.naccho.org) to apply.
- Selected applicants must have fully updated their unit profiles* on the MRC Program Office website (https://mrc.hhs.gov/HomePage) between July 1 – October 28, 2019, prior to receiving award funding.
- *A fully updated unit profile is one in which all questions have been answered or updated (particularly unit leader contact information, numbers of volunteers, and activity reports, if applicable). The MRC Program Office strongly encourages units to update their unit profiles with any previously unreported activities for the last year, as well as new activities.
- Applicants must be eligible to receive federal funds through their housing/sponsoring agency or be a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
- Applicants must provide both their Employer Identification Number (EIN) and their Duns & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), as required by Federal regulations.
- Prospective MRC units** applying for a 2020 MRC ORA must follow the MRC Program Office’s unit registration process, have submitted their prospective unit’s application for registration, and have been confirmed by their Regional Liaison no later than October 28, 2019, to be eligible.
- **A prospective MRC unit that has applied for an MRC ORA will not be awarded funding until it is an approved and registered MRC unit.
- MRC Units selected for funding will receive a notification of award and contractual agreement. Units that accept the funding agree to comply with the terms of agreement outlined in the contractual agreement and submit all documents within the terms of agreement timeframe. NACCHO will not be able to accept any requests for changes to the content language of the contractual agreement. Requests for corrections or changes to designated approving authorities, housing agencies, or addresses to the contract must be submitted to NACCHO by February 10, 2020.
- MRC units that received an MRC Challenge Award in 2018 must have submitted a final project evaluation report to be eligible for funding in 2020. Contact mrc@naccho.org if you are unsure if you have submitted a report.
The Application Process
2020 MRC Operational Readiness Awards Request for Application Released
MRC Awards Webinar
MRC ORA applications open
MRC ORA applications close
Application Review Period Ends
Notice of Awards Released
Award Contracts Emailed to Awardees
Signed Contracts Due to NACCHO
Six-mont Project Progress Survey
Final Project Evaluation Survey